Oxtail soup

It is a slow-cooked soup made with pieces of oxtail, whose bones and connective tissue enrich the broth as they simmer. Recipes often add onion, carrot, celery and herbs, and may thicken the soup with flour or vegetables.

Simmer it gently on the hob for about 3–4 hours, until the meat pulls easily from the bone; a hard boil can make the broth cloudy and the meat tough. In a pressure cooker, it usually takes about 45–60 minutes at high pressure, followed by a natural release.

For the cleanest result, chill the soup until the fat sets on top, then lift it off in a layer. If serving it straight away, skim the surface with a shallow spoon while it simmers.

Yes. Cool it promptly, refrigerate it in a covered container and use within a few days, or freeze it in meal-sized portions. Thaw it in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot throughout; the broth may need stirring if it separates.

Crusty bread or dumplings are good for soaking up the rich broth. Carrot, celery and pearl barley are common additions, while a little parsley or a dash of Worcestershire sauce can brighten it at the end.

No. Clear oxtail soup is strained or made without thickening, so it has a lighter, more transparent broth; oxtail soup may contain vegetables, flour or other ingredients that make it fuller-bodied. Clear oxtail soup has 103 kcal and 8.9 g protein per 100 g, compared with 114 kcal and 7.8 g in oxtail soup.

Oxtail itself is the meat and bone cut, while the soup includes broth and usually other ingredients. Per 100 g, oxtail has 192 kcal and 23.8 g protein, compared with 114 kcal and 7.8 g in oxtail soup.

Yes: its flavour often improves overnight as it rests in the fridge. Chill it promptly, remove the solidified fat before reheating, then bring it to a steaming simmer and check that the meat is hot all the way through.